A Love Unknown
by NoProblem
Summary: A story about the Marauder's era. Beginning with their O.W.L.S from fifth year... I’m trying to follow Rowling's books as closely as possible. Please Read! FIRST CHAPTER REVISED
1. Meet n Greet

A Love Unknown

Summary: A story about the Marauder's era. Beginning with their O.W.L.S from fifth year... I'm trying to follow Rowling's books as closely as possible. Please Read! revised the first chapter

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Absolutely nothing. I don't even own this disclaimer… a friend wrote it for me.

**SLIGHT REVISION DUE TO HBP! PLEASE REREAD…THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN UPCOMING CHAPTERS, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED**

a/n: Hello, lovely, lovely readers. This is my first L/J fic that I have posted on I have attempted others, but lost interest and just never continued. I am trying to follow Rowling's books as closely as possible in this fic. Most of my original characters aren't even very original. In fact, for most OC's, I'm using the names of random characters she uses. (e.g. Emmeline Vance, from the Advance Guard in OotP and was refered to in HBP)

Please, if you find any mistakes, whether with grammar & usage, or truthfulness to the book, please tell me in a review so I can fix it. I revised the story a bit, so you may want to skim through it again if you have already read it.

Sorry for the incredibly long author's note, but I just wanted to state my thoughts. Now my story begins a bit before they took their Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L.S (from Snape's Worst Memory)

This chapter just describes a few of the main characters, sorry if it's boring; I promise it will get more action-packed as the story progresses.

Chapter One: Meet n Greet

The library was filled with fifth years cramming their brains with every ounce of information on the Defense against the Dark Arts as they possibly could fit. They were to report to the Great Hall in an hour to take their DADA O.W.L.S.

You could hear nothing, apart for the sound of a page turning, parchment rattling, or a quill scratching, and the occasional groan of a student who couldn't find the spell to get rid of a Cornish Pixie.

Lily Evans sighed as she turned her text book, page after page, finding that she could practically recite the whole bloody book. She realized that she had done plenty of studying, and was confident she'd do well on her exam.

She caught on to most everything she was taught at Hogwarts, because as a Muggleborn, she was still fascinated by nearly everything at her school. She really didn't need to study much, but did occasionally, simply because she enjoyed learning the wonders of the wizarding world.

The talented witch was definitely worn-out by now, though. Closing her book, she left the library and headed out for a walk to relax, and enjoy herself before having to take her exam.

Strolling through the corridors, down the hall appeared the familiar face of James Potter. The two were quite alike. They were good looking, quite well known throughout the school, lusted after by the opposite sex (and probably the same sex if they chose to swing that way) and possessed a charming sense of humour. They also got high marks and competed for the top of their class. (although James seemed to achieve this without ever cracking open a book.)

Lily admired him for that. She admired a lot of things about him. He was an exceptional Quidditch player, and pulled pretty amusing pranks. (Which she didn't mind if they weren't harming anyone).

What she did not admire, however, was the fact that _he_ knew he was great, and it got to his head. Lily liked boys to be confident, but James was downright arrogant, and it got very annoying.

The pair of them were actually pretty good friends in their early years at Hogwarts. James' group, "The Marauders," as they were often times called, and Lily's friends enjoyed amusing the school with pranks and jokes, but the girls grew out of it whilst the Marauders seemed they would never tire of the sport.

As a prefect, and he a childish mischief maker, Lily had to get on him about a lot of things. He would then ask her out, and she would get mad at him for changing the subject, so would always refuse him. They rarely ever had any real conversation any more. However, the truth was, Lily did have feelings for him, but as soon as her heart would tell her that, she pushed those thoughts away, and focused on why she would never go out with him.

He was the type of person who never had a real relationship, but snogged random girls. Lily would not let herself get used and hurt by James Potter.

What Lily did not know, is that James didn't have relationships with those girls, because he had no real feelings for any of them. The one girl he could truly see himself with was the one girl who turned him down. Every. Bloody. Time. She also happened to be approaching. His heart leapt.

_She looks stunning, _he thought to himself.

"Alright, Evans?" called James.

The sound of his voice made her stomach squirm. She assumed she was hungry.

"Fantastic," she replied, "and you?"

"Much better, once I saw your dazzling beauty," James said, flirtatiously.

Lily felt her cheeks blush slightly.

_Don't be such a ninny, Lily, I bet he uses that line on every girl he wishes to snog, _she thought to herself.

"Where you headed?" asked James.

"No where in particular. Just releasing some pre-O.W.L.S stress. Please, join if you aren't going anywhere," Lily offered. She was a bit bored, and fancied some company. Also, a tiny part of her missed the James she had known just last year, and thought it might be nice to catch up a bit.

"I'd love to," James accepted.

_Wow. She actually offered to spend time with me! Why all the sudden so nice? She was just yelling at me earlier today for hexing a first year. _

Of course, Lily was just nice to everyone, it was simply her nature. Everyone held Lily in high esteem. (Except for perhaps the Slytherins, whose opinions don't matter anyway, so they can sod off.)

Lily was a genuinely good person. She was beautiful (yet modest and humble), smart, funny, kind, unselfish, and always smiled, regardless what was going on in the inside. True, she could get quite a temper, but she was only fair. The only thing that set her off was when people were treated unjustly. She believed there was good in all people, and never declined the chance to stand up for the underdog.

The two were chatting about their upcoming test.

"I hope I do well! I studied till the crack of dawn, and when I went to bed, I got not a wink of sleep, what with some girl in the sixth year dorm snoring loudly enough to wake all of England!" Lily stated.

James laughed. "Psh…study! I don't ever study! I'll ace it though. My secret is extra beauty sleep and a nice visit to the kitchens.

"Yes, do tell me how that works out for you,"

"Well it has put me first in our year at DADA," he bragged.

"Has it? If I am not mistaken, I believe last time I check, Severus Snape held that record, and I am second…which makes you…third?"

_That ought to put the conceited tosser in his place! _she thought

"Go figure he's number one," said James, "the bloody bastard _is _a dark art and deserves to be thrown into the lake and drown."

Lily forced a smile, hoping he was only joking, and didn't _really_ wish such harm on a fellow student, whom Lily didn't necessarily enjoy being in the company of, but certainly considered worthy of life. James appeared to be serious, though. Lily decided to change the subject to Quidditch.

This turned out to also be a disastrous route, for James had taken out a snitch (obviously stolen from Hogwarts quidditch supplies). He began to release and catch the snitch, and brag that he could easily play Seeker just as well as he could play Chaser.

Lily knew he was a talented athlete, but it bothered her that he felt the need to show-off. He was way too proud of himself. She could hardly stand him at the moment.

"Err… it seems to be about time we head to the Great Hall, Potter."

"You're right," James said, putting the snitch away.

They walked in silence. Lily felt it peaceful, not wanting to listen to anymore of James' self-praise. James, on the other hand, was anxious to know if he had impressed Lily at all. He decided to try his luck.

"Will you go out with me, Evans?" he asked.

"What!" Lily interjected, not as a question but it was the first thing that came to mind since she had been completely caught off guard.

_Of course I should have expected this! The ruddy bloke just wants someone to snog! _Lily thought to herself.

"Will you go out with me?" he repeated. His voice didn't show it, but her outburst hurt him a little bit, as though she was appalled that he had asked.

"No! I just spent the past hour listening to you ramble on and on about yourself! No way am I going through that again."

James was now very hurt. She had rejected him many a time before, but never this harshly. The other times he had asked her, she had already been yelling at him for some reason or another, but this time he actually thought he had something going with her.

He didn't know how to respond. Lucky for him, his best friends, the Marauders, had approached, and he didn't have to respond.

"Prongs!" called Sirius Black.

Sirius was the Heartthrob of Hogwarts. He, like James, was sexy, smart, and a player. Sirius was easily the most attractive person at the whole school. His looks and charm had girls throwing themselves at him, which he used to his advantage. He was a god.

"Ready to ace the O.W.L.S?" he asked James.

"I'm always ready to strut my stuff," he replied, Lily rolling her eyes.

And with that, the five of them entered the Great Hall.

_Getting to know Remus…_

A peaky-looking, sandy haired boy by the name of Remus Lupin gently nibbled the end of his quill as he read question number ten.

_10. Give five signs that identify the werewolf._

_Yes! _He thought, _another easy one._

Remus answered the question with ease, being a werewolf himself. Not that he _liked_ being one. It was very painful for him, and a hard secret to keep. The faculty knew, of course. They built him a place to stay, students referred to as the Shrieking Shack, believing it to be haunted. There was also a tree plated there, as an entrance to his monthly home. This tree was called the Whomping Willow. Anyone who wanted to keep their limbs fully attached to their body stayed away form this tree.

He didn't even tell his best friends, the Marauders. They put two and two together to figure it out by themselves. He was afraid they wouldn't like him anymore if they knew the truth. When in fact, the other three Marauders sacrificed their time (and maybe even their lives, if they had screwed up), to become animagi, so they could go with him during his transformations without getting harmed. He was so lucky to have such incredible friends.

Girls liked Remus. Out of all the Marauders, he was the most sensitive and sweet towards the ladies. He preferred relationships over meaningless snogs. The problem was, he was a werewolf, and he felt no girl could possibly love a monster. For that reason, he, like his friends, didn't have relationships, but got action from shallow girls seeking popularity.

A fling with a Marauder got any girl fifteen minutes of fame.

_Getting to know Peter…_

(a/n: I know in most fics, Peter is barely mentioned, but he is key in mine. As my story progresses, you will see what turned him evil. If Lily and James trusted him enough to be their secret keeper, he had to have been a good friend, right?)

Peter Pettigrew was on question number four, his parchment was nearly blank, and so was his mind.

He nervously tried to sneak a glance at his neighbour's parchment. Beside him was Emmeline Vance, and fellow Gryffindor, and Lily Evans' best friend. She was on question number fifteen, but her writing was so small and loopy that he couldn't make it out.

He was the least brilliant among the Marauders. He was also the least handsome, least liked, and least confident. He was sort of a suck up to his friends, but he admired them with his all. They had all the power and the social status at Hogwarts, and he was a part of it. He owed them everything.

He even had girls. Although some only used him to get to his gorgeous friends or because of his status as a Marauder, some girls actually thought his rat-like qualities were cute, in a little boy way, and fancied him.

He was a Marauder. What every girl wanted, and what every boy wanted to be. (a/n: got that from Austin Powers…told you I didn't own anything). He was truly grateful for that, but a part of him was… well… jealous.

The others had something special about them. Sirius was sought after by the ladies for his good looks, Remus was kind and considerate, and James… well James was just the height of perfection.

Amazing at Quidditch, in his studies, and the mastermind behind most of their ingenious pranks: James was everything Peter wanted to be. James also got any girl he wanted at the snap of his fingers.

A girl once used Peter only because she wanted to get closer to James. It hurt Peter a lot. James even hexed the girl for hurting Peter, but that just made Peter more jealous of Potter, because he had the power to do such things.

But there was one girl who put James in his place. Her name was Lily Evans.

Peter knew James was in love with her, which is why he never admitted, or pursued his feelings for her. But he couldn't help but admire her beauty, intelligence, and compassionate heart.

Lily was the type of person that every boy at Hogwarts wanted. Not to take advantage of… no. She wasn't the type of person you just snog and forget about the next day. She was someone you wrote poems for on Valentines Day.

Only the brave actually expressed their feelings for her. Everyone knew of James Potter's infatuation with her. They also knew his ability to throw every hex he could think of at anyone who tried to have her.

Peter had already gotten popularity, status, and help with his homework from James. He wasn't about to steal the one girl that really mattered to him. Not that Peter could have her anyway. She was something too precious.

Peter guessed most of the answers. He couldn't think very well; Lily Evans was a few seats behind James, and he could see her eyeing him. His heart hurt.

(a/n): Please please please review! Tell me what you honestly think, even if you hate it. Next chapter should be up soon if you guys want me to continue. Otherwise, I'll just write for myself. Thanks for reading it… I hope it wasn't too boring but I promise I have plans for this story.

XoxO

Next Chapter: Snape's Worst Memory… along with the thoughts of the characters, but only if I get reviews


	2. Snape's Worst Memory

A love Unknown

Chapter two: Snape's Worst Memory

Disclaimer: Not mine! Actually, in this chapter, most of it in fact, _isn't _mine at all. The characters and spells and all that good stuff belongs to her highness, J.K. Rowling, and so does everything in bold. It was taken from Order of the Phoenix Chapter 28 entitled: Snape's Worst Memory. I warned you so don't sue me please

**Slight HBP Spoiler Warning just to be safe**

a/n: This chapter took me a lot longer to write than I had hoped for. Then I decided to wait until I read HBP to post a new chapter, even though half of this was already written. After I finished the book, (I loved it! It was rather sad… but still an incredibly awesome book) I revised a little from chapter one, so you should probably re read that before starting this chapter. Thanks everyone who reviewed! This chapter is dedicated to you and my best friend for ever and ever, the fabulous… Laila! (Who doesn't normally read fan fiction, but helped a LOT with this one)

Anyways… here's Chapter two…enjoy

Lily was answering the last question on her written exam.

_Describe the Unforgivable Curses._

She wrote a long, well written response. Each of her answers had been like that. She took only a few moments for each question, but nailed them all.

_All that studying did me well, _she thought, _I bet Potter is a wreck._

She glanced over to James, who was two seats in front, and one row over. He was turned around in his chair grinning to someone. Lily turned her head to her left and Sirius giving James the thumbs up.

Her eyes widened with shock.

_They are finished before me? They didn't even study! Not one bit! NOT FAIR!_

For a moment, her insides raged with jealousy, but then she just rolled her eyes and smiled.

_That Potter is just too damn smart for his own good. He is so full of himself! But that is only because he can back it up. The lucky bastard. He is just gifted, I guess. But he so doesn't deserve it!_

_Oh, what an awful thing for me to think! Is he conceited? Annoying? Oh yes. But I'm sure that deep down, under his messy black hair, lies a wonderful guy._

_In fact, he didn't deserve such a harsh rejection from me when he asked me out earlier. I think I'll apologize._

_Not that I would actually agree to go out with him. I don't want to get used and hurt like everyone else. I bet he isn't really interested in anything but a good snog from me. Its not like girls mean anything to him._

_ But he didn't deserve to be shut down like that. I'll tell him 'I'm sorry that I was so rude. I'm sure you're a great guy, but I am just not interested, but I'd like to be friends,'…just like the good old days._

And so that settled it. She would apologize to Potter as soon as she had the chance.

_Who knows? I might even be able to help him deflate his gigantic head._

James was done with his exam.

_Ridiculously easy, _he thought, as he was sketching a snitch on a bit of spare parchment.

_If only getting Evans to like me was that easy, _he thought. _But no, she is Lily Evans. She isn't easy at all. She is worth working for, though. We're perfect for each other! Why can't she see that?_

**"Quills down, please!" squeaked Professor Flitwick. "That means you too, Stebbins! Please remain seated while I collect your parchment! _Accio!"_**

**More than a hundred rolls of parchment zoomed into the air and into Professor Flitwick's outstretched arms, knocking him backward off his feet. Several people laughed. A couple of students at the front desks got up, to hold of Professor Flitwick beneath the elbows and lifted him onto his feet again.**

**"Thank you… thank you," panted Professor Flitwick. "Very well, everybody, you're free to go!"**

James looked down on the parchment he was doodling on. He had subconsciously traced the letters 'L.E.' when he was thinking about her. He hastily crossed out the letters, jumped to his feet, stuffed his quill and the exam question paper into his bag, which he slung over his back, and stood waiting for Sirius to join him.

Lily and her friends gathered and instantly began chattering.

"Lily, where did you go when you left the library? You left me there bored stiff! And when I left to look for you, I couldn't find you!" complained her friend, and fellow Gryffindor, Ginevra Prewett.

"Sorry. I was taking a walk. Had a lovely chat with Potter though, that prick just couldn't stop bragging," Lily responded.

"Oh Lily, he just wants to impress you!" she said.

The girls were heading outside, along with the rest of the Hogwarts population. It was a gorgeous day. It was bright and sunny, but not blindingly, and the weather was nice and warm.

"**Did you like question ten, Moony?" asked Sirius as they emerged into the entrance hall.**

"**Loved it," said Lupin briskly. "'Give five signs that identify the werewolf.' Excellent question." **

"**D'you think you managed to get all the signs?" said James in tones of mock concern.**

"**Think I did," said Lupin seriously, as they joined the crowd thronging around the front doors eager to get out into the sunlit grounds.**

"**One: He's sitting on my chair. Two: He's wearing my clothes. Three: His name's Remus Lupin…"**

**Wormtail was the only one who didn't laugh.**

"**I got the snout shape, the pupils of the eyes, and the tufted tail." He said anxiously, "but I couldn't think what else--"**

"**How thick are you, Wormtail?" said James impatiently. "You run around with a werewolf once a month—"**

"**Keep your voice down," implored Lupin**

…

**James and his three friends strode off down the lawn toward the lake.**

…

"**Well I thought that paper was a piece of cake," Sirius said. "I'll be surprised if I don't get Outstanding on it at least."**

"**Me too," said James. He put his hand in his pocket and took out a struggling Golden Snitch.**

"**Where'd you get that?"**

"**Nicked it," said James casually. He started playing with the Snitch, allowing it to fly as much as a foot away and seizing it again, **just as he had done earlier that very same day with Lily**; his reflexes were excellent. Wormtail watched him in awe.**

_He is so talented! _Thought Wormtail, _I'd give anything to be that good at Quidditch!_

Wormtail gasped and applauded as James flew into a dive and caught the snitch an inch from the ground. Peter looked at the girls across the lake. They watched James with an expression of awe across their faces, Lily included. Envy fumed inside him.

James noticed his attention from the ladies, but there was one red-head in particular he was interested in seeing where her eyes were fixed. He then noticed Lily's emerald green eyes stare straight at him, her mouth gaping.

He grinned, messed up his hair some more (if it _could get _any messier) and turned away. _If she wants to watch me, I'll let her._

The majority of the fifth year girls from every house were following Lily's group to the lake. Lily and her best friends: Emmeline Vance, Ginevra Prewett, and Alice Levine; the 5th year Gryffindors, took off their shoes and socks to cool their feet in the water. Other girls followed their lead.

The fifth year Gryffindors were easily the most popular among the other fifth year students at Hogwarts. No one knew quite why; maybe the bravery to stand out? Possibly; because they each had their own unique qualities.

Ginevra Prewett, more commonly referred to as Ginny, was Lily's best friend. She was a red head, although her hair was a light red, thin, and straight, as opposed to Lily's dark, thick, wavy red hair. Ginny's eyes were brown instead of Lily's astonishing emerald green, although no one's eyes were quite like those of Lily. Ginny was beautiful, though, and like Lily, had a very caring heart.

She however, was not nearly as clever as Lily was. She put forth a lot of effort and received marks well below Lily's. She didn't mind, of course. She appreciated what she did have instead of dwelling on what others had that she didn't. Ginny's older sister, Molly, and she were very close, whereas Lily and her sister, Petunia, didn't get along at all. Ginny pitied Lily for this, and hoped someday Petunia and Lily would share loving bond.

Alice Levine was a round friendly-faced brunette. Short and pudgy, she was looked upon as the baby of the group, but her skill as a witch should not be underestimated, for she was nearly as gifted as Lily. She was an excellent friend and, no matter what, she could never, ever speak ill-minded of another soul, a quality that Lily adored, and tried her best to imitate.

Emmeline Vance was blessed with thick black hair, blue eyes and fair skin. She was quite tall, and had a muscular build, a size perfect for her job on the Quidditch field; she was one of the Gryffindor Beaters; and had been since third year. She was not as book smart as Lily was, but had a knack for knowing the exact spell to be used for useful things—like hexing any prat who deserved it. She was tough, but dignified all the same. Her three best friends were each extraordinarily kind, which inspired her to try hard herself, but she also was able to use her talent to jinx one severely, when her friends were too nice to do it themselves.

"Did Potter ask you out again?" Emmeline asked Lily.

"Yeah… of course…" Lily replied. Some of the other girls looked at her with envy in their eyes. "I feel bad about turning him down though, because I was quite a bit rude, and looking back, he didn't really deserve it. I'm going to apologize when I see him next though,"

"So you're going to go out with him?" asked a jealous Hufflepuff.

"Oh God no! James really isn't my type... but we could be friends, I guess," she answered.

There was a sigh of relief among many of the gathered girls.

"Speaking of the devil…" Ginny motioned to across the lake where James was playing with a snitch.

Lily looked at him, wide-eyed, and mouth open. She now had second thoughts about apologizing as she remembered that this was the very reason she had yelled at him in the first place.

"That show-off. This is exactly why I turned him down! If he wasn't so damn full of himself..." stated Lily.

"Ooh! Look how good he is!" cried a fourth year.

"I bet he could play chaser and seeker at the same time and still be as brilliant of a player!" some girls were saying, watching him with passion in their eyes.

"Are you kidding me? He just wants attention!" Lily exclaimed.

_What do they see in him? There's a bunch of other Quidditch players at this school. What makes him so damn special? Even I can catch a freaking snitch off the ground! It's NOTHING to be intrigued with! _Lily's thoughts formed. She was definitely not apologizing.

"**Put that away will you?" said Sirius, finally, as James made a fine catch and Wormtail let out a cheer. "Before Wormtail wets himself from excitement."**

**Wormtail turned slightly pink but James grinned. **

**"If it bothers you," he said, stuffing the Snitch back in his pocket. Sirius was the only one for whom James would have stopped showing off.**

**"I'm bored," said Sirius. "Wish it was full moon."**

**"You might," said Lupin darkly from behind his book. "We've still got Transfiguration; if you're bored you could test me…Here." He held out his book.**

**Sirius snorted. "I don't need to look at that rubbish, I know it all."**

**"This'll liven you up, Padfoot," said James quietly. "Look who it is…"**

**Sirius's head turned. He had become very still, like a dog that has scented a rabbit.**

"**Excellent," he said softly. "_Snivellus."_**

**Snape was now on his feet, stowing his O.W.L. paper in his bag. As he emerged from the shadows of the bushes he was sitting by and set off across the grass, Sirius and James stood up. Lupin and Wormtail remained sitting: Lupin was still staring down at his book, thought his eyes were not moving and a faint frown line had appeared between his eyebrows. Wormtail was looking from Sirius and James to Snape with a look of avid anticipation on his face.**

**"All right, Snivellus?" James said loudly.**

**Dropping his bag, he plunged his hand inside his robes, and his wand was halfway into the air when James shouted, "_Expelliarmus_!"**

**Snape's wand flew twelve feet into the air and fell with a little thud in the grass behind him. Sirius let out a bark of laughter.**

**"_Impedimenta_!" he said, pointing his wand at Snape, who was knocked off his feet, halfway through a dive toward his own fallen wand.**

**Students all around had turned to watch. Some of them had gotten to their feet and were edging nearer to watch. Some looked apprehensive, others entertained. **

**Snape lay panting on the ground. James and Sirius advanced on him, wands up, James glancing over his shoulder at the girls at the water's edge as he went. Wormtail was on his feet now, watching hungrily, edging around Lupin to get a clearer view.**

**"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" said James.**

**"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment," said Sirius viciously. "There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word."**

Snape's body flooded with embarrassment. He was trying to get up to charge at James and Sirius, but James' jinx was still holding him down by invisible ropes. He struggled to get up.

"**You—wait," he panted, staring up at James with an expression of purest loathing. "You—wait…." **

"**Wait for what?" said Sirius coolly. "What are you going to do, Snivelly, wipe you nose on us?"**

**Snape let out of stream of mixed swearwords and hexes, but his wand being ten feet away nothing happened. **

**"Wash out your mouth!" said James coldly. "_Scourgify!"_**

**Pink soap bubbles streamed from Snape's mouth at once; the froth was covering his lips, making him gag, choking him—**

Lily's head turned away from James after he had put the Snitch away, which appeared to be on Sirius' orders.

The girls were now engaged in conversation about a 6th year Hufflepuff called Magenta Behgin going out with Sirius Black.

"He is so sexy. You're so lucky Mags" commented Magenta's friend, Casity.

Lily agreed. He was no doubt blessed in the looks department. She turned back around to glance at him.

Her eye caught a ghastly scene. There was Snape struggling off the ground, with James towering over him, wand pointed threateningly, as a gathering crowd played witness.

Lily raged with anger.

_That jerk is just always trying to pick a fight to make himself look good!_

She quickly got up to approach the scene and defend the innocent Snape.

**"Wash out your mouth," **she heard James' voice say.** "_Scourgify!"_**

Lily quickened her pace, and arrived at the scene, watching with distress as Snape choked and gagged on pink soap bubbles emerging from his mouth.

"**Leave him ALONE!"** she yelled at James, who seemed to be amused by Snape's sufferings.

James rumpled his hair as soon as he spotted Lily behind him.

The soap bubbles stopped descending from Snape's mouth, but he was still bound by invisible ropes to the floor.

**"All right, Evans?" said James, and the tone of his voice was suddenly pleasant, deeper, more mature.**

**"Leave him alone," Lily repeated. "What's he done to you?"**

**"Well," said James, appearing to deliberate the point, "it's more the fact that he _exists_, if you know what I mean…."**

Lily's glare hardened, as the others laughed at James' reply.

**"You think you're funny," she said coldly. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him _alone."_**

**"I will if you go out with me, Evans," James said quickly. "Go on… go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again." **

**Behind him, the Impediment Jinx was wearing off. Snape was beginning to inch toward his fallen wand, spitting out **excess** soapsuds as he crawled. **

_How dare he have the nerve to ask me out! _

**"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," said Lily. **

**"Bad luck, Prongs," said Sirius briskly, turning back to Snape. "OY!" **

**Snape had directed his wand straight at James, **and in his mind, said the word_ 'Sectumsempra;_' a flash of light blazed, and **a gash appeared on the side of James's face, spattering his robes with blood. **James seemed not let the pain bother him, for he **whirled about; a second flash of light later, Snape was hanging upside down in the air, his robes falling over his head to reveal skinny, pallid legs and a pair of graying underpants.**

**Many people in the small crowd watching cheered. Sirius, James, and Wormtail roared with laughter.**

Lily was, with all her might, fighting back a giggle, but did not want to give James the satisfaction. She also felt a wave of pity for poor Snape, not having deserved his torment. **"Let him down!" **she demanded.

"Certainly," said James and he jerked his wand upward. Snape fell into a crumpled heap on the ground. Disentangling himself from his robes, he got quickly to his feet, wand up, but before he could acquire vengeance, Sirius said, "_Locomotor mortis!" _and Snape keeled over again at once, rigid as a board.

Lily was close to tears in her struggle of defending Snape and reprimanding James. It was all so frustrating! Why couldn't James just stop being such a prat and just stop persecuting Snape?

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" she yelled, pouring her aggravation into her cry. She had subconsciously pointed her own wand at James and Sirius, them eyeing it cautiously.

**"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," said James earnestly.**

**"Take the curse off him then!"**

**James sighed deeply. **

_She is not easy to please, now is she? _

He **then turned to Snape and muttered the countercurse.**

**"There you go," he said, as Snape struggled to his feet again, "you're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus--"**

Snape's dignity was punctured.

"**I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"** He remarked, feeling a little bit more repaired.

Lily however was a bit offended. She had gone out of her way to defend Snape, yet he chose to repay her by _insulting_ her! She blinked away a tear.

**"Fine," she said coolly. "I won't bother in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, _Snivellus_."**

James detected Lily was trying to conceal her dismay.

_I can't believe that Jackass! She was helping him!_

**"Apologize to Evans!" James roared at Snape, his wand pointed threateningly at him.**

_He can call me whatever he wants, but he's not getting away with speaking to Lily like that! Especially when she was HELPING him!_

Lily, however, was not going to let James try to be the hero after what he had done.

**"I don't want _you_ to make him apologize," Lily shouted, rounding on James. "You're as bad as he is…"**

"**What?" yelped James. **He was appalled that Lily could possibly compare him to that scum.

_But Lily! I love you! I would never say anything against you! _James thought.

"**I'd never call you a — you-know-what!"** he said.

"**Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can – I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK."**

**She turned on her heel and hurried away.**

_Damn it! I can't do anything right, can I?_

James was enraged with himself.

"**Evans!" James shouted after her**, hoping she would come back and he could explain to her that he had never meant to offend her. **"Hey, EVANS!"**

**But she didn't look back.**

"**What is it with her?" said James, trying and failing to look as though this was a throwaway question of no real importance to him.**

**"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate," said Sirius.**

**"Right," said James, who looked furious now. "right--"**

_Levicorpus, _James thought to himself, wand pointed at Snape, _it's his fault Lily hates me, so he will have to pay._

And with another flash of light, Snape was again upside down in the air, and humility was churning inside of him.

"Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?"

The crowd cheered. Snape hoped against hope that James would find it in his heart to restrain himself, but to his dismay, he soon felt the air on his bare bottom half.

"Haha! Look at his pale arse!" roared a student, laughing hysterically.

"Looks like someone's package got lost in the owl-post!" remarked another, referring to his remarkably undersized how's-your-father.

"I see your boys haven't yet dropped…" called someone else.

Many young girls went pink and turned their heads, but no one was nearly as mortified as Snape, himself.

_He will pay, that Potter. I want nothing more than for him to die at my hands…_

"What's going on here?" a voice called.

James' smirk flew right off his face as he quickly dropped Snape to the ground.

Red in the face, Snape quickly jumped to his feet. The previously watching crowd fell silent, and stepped away, casually, trying to look as though they hadn't at all been involved in the scene.

The voice belonged to the Potions master, Professor Slughorn. Snape just happened to be a favorite of his, and as favored his mainly his Slytherins about all else, making James and the other three Marauders thorns in his side.

"Potter, what have you done?" asked the exasperated professor.

"Well… you see Professor…I… uh…" James was at lost for words. Usually he was able to use his Potter charm on teachers into letting him down easy, but he just couldn't think.

"Very well. I shall see you in detention for the next 3 Saturdays at noon,"

"Severus, come with me," demanded the Professor. "And someone take James to the hospital wing."

A vast amount of girls walked towards him to volunteer.

"Hospital wing?" questioned James. "What for?"

"Your face is bleeding," answered Slughorn.

James had forgotten Snape's hex, and saw from his bloodstained robes, that he was indeed _bleeding_.

"Well he did it!" James pointed his finger at Snape.

"I do not care who did it. I would like to see it gone. Now go,"

Professor Slughorn left for the dungeons with Snape and the Marauders, along with many girls, headed toward the Hospital Wing with James.

Lily was alone in her dorm, allowing tears to flow freely down her cheeks. She felt like an idiot, and had wasn't quite sure why she was crying.

There were several possibilities:

James was being cruel and a complete prat, which hurt her, because she felt as though she had _really_ lost the old James, and could never see a friend in the monster that he had become.

Another factor was Snape not appreciating her aid, that she caused her a lot of yelling and glaring, two things she did not often do.

Also the fact that Remus, a fellow prefect, had not at all helped in ending the commotion, and had just… let it all happen, though, she could tell, reluctantly so.

Or maybe it was simply stress from her O.W.L.s, as she reminded herself she still had transfiguration to study for, which was her worst subject by far.

It could have just been a combination of all, and she just felt the need to let it all out.

She wiped her tears away, and picked up her Transfiguration book to bring downstairs to the common room and study.

_Might as well get started, even if it is a losing battle, _she thought.

_a/n: yae! That's the second chapter, I still have more to add, but that's ok. I'll write it in chapter three because I'm really tired right now and want to get to bed. I wrote bits and pieces of other chapters, and I have a plan for what all is to come. I hope you enjoyed reading this, even if it did take a bit more time to write than I had hoped for. Please review. Au revoir_

_xoxo Anna_

Thanks again Reviewers:

**xsweetcatastrophex3: **Thanks so much, Sasha, for being my first-ever reader! And for giving me all that love and support! And for helping me find better words and phrases to use! Kisses to you! I love you doll

**_wudnulike2kno: _**You're review made me smile from ear to ear! Thanks sooo much! I hope I don't disappoint you! I love your fic too! (Everyone: read it, it's great! It's called Getting there) you also get the honor of being my first REAL reviewer! (Sasha, I love you but you don't count because I know you)

**JennyD18: **Thanks for your review; I'm glad you enjoyed my first chapter! I think your fix is just fine without Peter (read hers too it's called _The Plan_ and it's also brilliant) but gets pretty important later on.

**Cheesytrees: **Glad you liked it! Thanks for your review!

**Pltzchen: **Thanks for your review! I'm glad you liked my fic, even if it isn't s/r slash. (which I don't have plans for it to be, unless I feel particularly flamboyant one day lol) I'm glad you're gonna keep reading! Thanks a bunch!

**Goodnight y'all. Zzz…**


End file.
